Hello %FirstName%

PODS Spring 2024 Newsletter & Lots More...

PODS Spring 2024 Newsletter 

We are delighted to announce that this years Newsletter is now available, please click below to access our digital copy. Unlike in previous years where we have sent out a paper copy to every member, we have had to make the difficult decision to change things this year due to rising costs and number of families we support.

The good news is though, if you would like a paper copy these can be collected from our Hub and any sessions you attend, or alternatively we can post one out to you free of charge, please contact kerrie@podstelford.org to arrange this.

We hope you enjoy reading all the information and exciting things we have been up to.

To read our newsletter in full, please click here: PODS Spring 2024 Newsletter

PODS Parent Carer Forum Wellbeing & Mental Health Conference

Tuesday 19th March 2024 from 9.15am-2.30pm at Holiday Inn Telford - Ironbridge, Telford, TF3 4EH

PODS Parent Carer Forum are delighted to announce our Annual Conference for 2024. We will covering Wellbeing and Mental Health, with a range of activities and updates. The agenda is below:

• 9.15am: Open for early attendees (feel free to come straight after school runs).
• 9.30am: Conference starts, housekeeping and introductions
• 9.45am: Update on projects from PODS team - counselling, challenges at Home, workshops and groups, etc
• 10am: Wellbeing activity at table with staff and volunteer facilitators
• 10.30am: Refreshment Break
• 10.45am: Presentation from National Speaker re "Healthy Parent Carers".
• 12noon: LUNCH served in restaurant
• 1pm: Choice of Workshops
  • Workshop 1 will cover Emotion Coaching - presentation/workshop by Dr Jane Park (Co-Principal Educational Psychologist)
  • Workshop 2 will cover an update from BeeU Learning Disability Team including behaviours of concern, an introduction to PBS and an introduction to learning disability by Dr Steve Farmer (Senior Clinical Psychologist)

TICKETS ARE FREE FOR PARENT CARERS DUE TO FUNDING AVAILABILITY.  PROFESSIONALS ARE WELCOME, BUT THERE WILL BE A SMALL CHARGE, PLEASE CONTACT jayne@podstelford.org to discuss/access password.

CONFERENCE WILL END AT 2.30pm

To book your place, please click here: PODS Parent Carer Forum Wellbeing & Mental Health Conference

PODS SEND Sleep Tight Course 

Are you having trouble getting your child/young person to sleep at night?

From Tuesday 9th April we will be running our 3 week Sleep Tight Course.

The course will cover- The importance of sleep, causes of sleep issues, sleep physiology, good sleep practice and strategies.

Sessions will last 1.5 hours and run weekly at 10am on 9th April, 16th April and 23rd April at the PODS Hub.

Parent/carers must attend all 3 sessions in order to successfully complete the course. Places are limited and will be offered on a first come first served basis.

To register your interest please email uma@podstelford.org before 19th Mar 2024.

PODS Warm Hub

Pop along to PODS Warm Hub this Winter!

Here you can meet others, access hot drinks, soup and biscuits, have a cuppa and enjoy activities run by PODS staff! 

Everyone in the community welcome. You will find us at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU.

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services - BeeU Contract Update 

We know that families have lots of questions and comments regarding local mental health services and in particular regarding the closure of BEAM in Wellington.  The following statement has been shared.  We will, of course, continue to have ongoing conversations and providing families feedback, experiences etc and if you wish to discuss this further please get in touch with jayne@podstelford.org or call me on 0777 534 2092.

"Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health services are provided by BeeU, for children and young people up to the age of 25. The service is delivered by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) and also provides neurodevelopmental assessments for children – autism (ages 5 to 18) and ADHD (ages 6 to 18). 

Since 2017, MPFT has worked in partnership to deliver the BeeU service, including The Children’s Society’s Beam service (which provides emotional wellbeing support through face-to-face drop-ins in Shrewsbury and Wellington); Kooth (a website open to 11-19-yearolds offering 24/7 emotional support on an anonymous basis); and Healios (which provides online psychological therapies). MPFT's contract to provide the BeeU service has been extended until 31 March 2025. As part of this extended contract, 

MPFT will continue to deliver BeeU in partnership with Healios and Kooth. The sub-contract with The Children’s Society Beam service will come to an end. This decision was informed by engagement where the views of children and families were sought and from service user feedback. 

In replacement of this sub-contracted service, MPFT will continue to support children and families via an alternative service provision. This will prioritise a reduction in both the numbers of children and young people awaiting access to appropriate assessment and support, and the length of time they are waiting. There will be a greater focus on providing accessible services to children, young people and families; this is likely to include a growth in the prevention offer within schools. 

To ensure the BeeU service continues to serve the needs of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin residents and is fit for the future we remain committed to working collaboratively with all our partners, stakeholders, service users and the public. Our goal is to shape future services collectively, making sure that children, young people, and their families are central to the design and have a key role in decision-making. 

If you would like to get involved or provide any feedback on the BeeU service, please contact: stw.getinvolved@nhs.net 

For more information on the BeeU service and how to access emotional wellbeing and mental services, contact the BeeU Access Team on 0300 124 0093 or visit the BeeU website. Issued by NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Communications Team. Email: stw.communications@nhs.net."

Tourettes Action Telford Group

Friday 22nd March 2024 from 10am-12pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

Tourettes Action Group welcomes all families who have a child or young person that may be affected by Tourettes (or tics) in Telford.  

We welcome anyone to attend to find out more about this condition and to receive support and share experiences. Our group leader is trained and supported the national 'Tourettes Action' organisation.

To book, please click here: Tourettes Action Telford Group

Matt's Mount Snowdon Walk for PODS!

One of our parents is doing the Mount Snowdon Walk for PODS!

Extract from the fundraising page...

"Parents Opening Doors(PODS) is such an important charity that has helped my family and other families around Telford.

PODS supports families who have a child or young person with a disability of additional needs They regularly hold family groups, provide emotional and practical support, arrange workshops, activities, fun sessions and days out for the children. They also work in partnership with the council, health, social care, education, voluntary and community services. Please visit their Facebook page and website for more information.

It would mean so much to me if you could donate to my fundraiser to support PODS. I will be climbing Mount Snowdon on Sunday 24th of March 2024."

To donate to Matt's fundraiser, please click here: Matt's Mount Snowdon Walk for PODS!

PODS Social - Drawing (12-25s)

Wednesday 13th March 2024 from 6pm-7.30pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

PODS are hosting a Social Session for young people aged 12 years to 25 years and their siblings. All our Social Sessions have a very relaxed atmosphere but there is always a specific focus. This session is: DRAWING.

Tickets cost £3 per young person attending. All the materials needed will be provided to all the young people booked. 

Young People are welcome to bring their own anime creations and/or references. Parents/carers to stay on the site during the session. All tickets are non-refundable.

To book, please click here: PODS Social - Drawing (12-25s)

PODS MenSpace

Tuesday 12th March 2024 from 12pm-2pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

A chance to put the world to rights over cake and coffee! Join us at the MenSpace group. A group dedicated to male carers. These groups are guided by you, you can talk about whatever you want, and give us all chance to help each other out.

You will also be able to influence how these groups run in the future by feeding back what you want from the group and how we can achieve this. 

Please let Matt know if you have any problems booking on. Contact: Matt Downes-Ward - matt@podstelford.org 

To book, please click here: PODS MenSpace

PODS Social - Mini Golf (14-25s)

Wednesday 20th March 2024 from 6pm-8pm at Putt Putt Noodle Telford, Telford, TF3 4DA

PODS are hosting a Social Session for young people aged 14 years to 25 years. All our Social Sessions have a very relaxed atmosphere but there is always a specific focus. This session is: PUTT PUTT NOODLE.

Putt Putt Noodle is an indoor, 9-hole Adventure Golf Course, with food and drink available on site (to be purchased separately).

Tickets cost £7 per participant for 1 x round of adventure golf.

Booking Closes: 13th March 2024

Parents/carers do not need to stay on the site during the session - support can be provided at an additional cost if required. Please see Terms and Conditions. All tickets are non-refundable.

To book, please click here: PODS Social - Mini Golf (14-25s)

PODS Social Support Group at Blists Hill

Thursday 14th March from 10am-12pm at Blists Hill Victorian Town, Telford, TF7 5UD

Come and join us at PODS Family Group in Blists Hill Victorian Town for a chat, relax and meet with friendly faces. Ask us for some advice or just enjoy a walk around the village. Tickets are available at a subsidised cost of £3.00 per person. PODS will provide 1 tea/coffee/soft drink to each person booked, however you will have to purchase your own other refreshments if required.  

Places are limited and booking is essential, open to all PODS members living in Telford and Wrekin. Please note that the tickets are non-refundable. Children, of any age, are welcome however if they are under 2 years old, no ticket is required. We will be meeting at the entrance at 10am, please let us know if you will be late or can no longer make it so as the group can enter on time.

To book, please click here: PODS Social Support Group at Blists Hill

PODS Minecraft Club

Tuesday 5th March 2024 from 4pm-5pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

A chance to come together and enjoy a session of Minecraft. Please note Minecraft will be accessed via PODS iPads which are linked to one another to allow multiplayer options. Children will not be able to access their own Minecraft accounts for safety reasons. Sessions open to children and young people of all ages who are members of PODS including their siblings.

Drinks and biscuits provided. Session costs are non-refundable, parent/carer/PA must remain on site for the duration of the session. Please ensure every Child/young person attending has a ticket, those attending without a ticket will be turned away. Adult tickets are NOT required.

To book, please click here: PODS Minecraft Club

PODS Stop Motion Video Club

Monday 4th March 2024 from 4pm-5pm at PODS Hub, 1 Hawksworth Road, Central Park, Telford, TF2 9TU

PODS Stop Motion Video Club resumes from Jan 2024. The children/young people will be provided with Lego and Ipads to help make the stop motion videos. Cost is £3 per child/young person.

Please contact Uma at uma@podstelford.org for any details.

To book, please click here: PODS Stop Motion Video Club

Collaborate

The latest edition of Collaborate includes information on Pharmacy support, and an article about Local Maternity and Neonatal Service.

To read the latest edition, please click here: Collaborate

Information from Telford & Wrekin Community Champions

Walking Football and Walking Hockey

New sessions.

Walking football and Walking hockey, 2 new groups every Tuesday and completely free, all ages and abilities welcome. No need to book just turn up ready to join in. Please wear suitable footwear, trainers or something similar.

Tuesdays at 1.45pm at Telford and Wrekin Hockey Club, Church St, TF2 9LU

Call Coach Gary for more information: 07854715351.

Free Domestic Abuse Training

The Haven Training on behalf of Telford & Wrekin Council.

Telford & Wrekin Council and The Haven Training CIC are working together to provide free Domestic Abuse awareness training to individuals, organisations, community groups and volunteers working in the local area.   

Training events include:

• Domestic Abuse Awareness
• Domestic Abuse Community Champion and Workplace Ambassador 

Email Training@havenrefuge.org.uk for all enquires, dates or to receive an interest form/book a place.

For info on our full list of our CPD certified courses follow the link: CPD certified courses

Action for Happiness Calendar - Mindfulness March 2024

Please note the above material is subject to copyright, please contact PODS before sharing any of the information in this PODS Ebulletin.

Thank you for reading our latest Ebulletin, please stay safe & well. 

Kerrie Seagrave, Member Support Co-ordinator

on behalf of PODS Parent Carer Forum.

We hope you enjoyed reading our latest e-bulletin - we hope you continue to find it useful. If you have any suggestions to make it better feel free to let me know.